News – 15 February 2022
The recent announcement that the energy price cap is rising from April will be a worry to many customers; we know that improving the energy efficiency of our homes will be a big help.
We can’t make this happen overnight, but we are committed to getting all our properties to at least a band C energy efficiency rating by 2028, and to be net zero carbon by 2050.
For us to find out which properties need energy efficiency work, we have to carry out an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) survey. We’ve carried out over 1,500 of these over the last 10 months and have a rolling programme to carry out EPCs for properties that don’t have one, or where they’re about to expire.
The energy performance ratings from the EPCs help us to decide what changes we can make to existing homes to help them be more energy efficient, otherwise known as a retrofit programme. Measures that could be introduced into your home could be insulation, alternative heating sources, solar water heating and solar electricity panels, along with any other relevant technologies as they become available.
Having an EPC survey is the first step in working with us to make your property more energy efficient; we’ll always let you know in advance that your home needs an EPC and give you details of the surveyors. The survey doesn’t take long, about 30 minutes in all.
Government funding has been made available to housing associations to support the installation of energy performances measures. We are applying for funding from the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, which will help with 150 of our poorer performing properties, and from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
If your home has been successful in receiving grant funding, we will carry out a full retrofit assessment before any work is done, so that the most effective measures to improve your home’s energy efficiency will be taken. We’ll liaise with you at all stages of the assessment and any subsequent work.
Whilst we’re in the planning process of our full retrofit programme, please remember that if you’re struggling financially due to increased energy prices or any other reason, we have a Financial Wellbeing team who can help. Our dedicated advisors provide free, confidential and impartial advice on welfare benefits, budgeting and debt. Just call our Customer Contact team on 0300 123 5544 and they will arrange for the team to get in touch.